


The Secrets We Keep

by Destiny_Enemy



Category: Minecraft diaries - Fandom, aphmau freeform
Genre: Childhood Memories, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Humorous Ending, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm Bad At Tagging, Implied/Referenced Underage Prostitution, Laurance has been through some shit, Oops, Yeeeeea...I'm a horrible person, that didn't happen, that's not even the worst idea's I have for him, was planning for this to be short, well more like teen memories but yea
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-27
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-07-23 07:33:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20004613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Destiny_Enemy/pseuds/Destiny_Enemy
Summary: It was a well-known fact that virtually nothing could bother Laurance, he was always ready with a sassy remark or a well-timed one-liner that was able to turn any insult that was hurled at him on its head, it was also a well-known fact that the said guard had quite the way with words, making it easy to court...nighttime companions. One day, his fellow guards decided to mix the two, it was all harmless fun anyway. But one uneventful afternoon turned sour by some seemingly innocent words causes them to think otherwise, maybe there was more to the headstrong guard then first thought...





	The Secrets We Keep

**Author's Note:**

> So, I suck at summaries, what else is new? Anyway, just so you're aware, this isn't a happy story, I mean, I'm the one writing it so go figure. Sorry, I'm really sassy today. Point is, this is placed a little after they meet Dante, so Garroth and Laurance are friends with him sure, but not close friends, season 1 I know, weird. If you have NOT read the tags, please take the time to do so, I would not want to make anyone uncomfortable with my works, well, not in a way I don't intend to. With that being said, sit back, relax, and read Laurance's suffering.

It was a rather sunny and uneventful day in the small village of Phoenix Drop, everyone was cheerful and enthusiastic, leaving little work for the guards, who at this point were taking a well-deserved break from their usual duties, much to the protest of the head guard, Garroth, but he eventually settled down once Aphmau, their Lord, basically ordered him to, in her subtle Aphmau way.

So Garroth, Laurance, and their newest edition to the guard family Dante were now chatting pleasantly in the quarters that they all shared, or better known as the guard tower. None of them were quite sure how it happened, but the conversation had taken a…risqu é turn, much to the displeasure and embarrassment of Garroth.

“Jeez Laurance, just how much do you get around?” Dante asked, awe and disbelief coating his words. He was leaned forward in his chair, giving way to the fact that he was actually interested, and his face showed that he was genuinely curious. Laurance chuckled at his eagerness, despite how they had met, the rookie was surprisingly fun to be around, and Laurance found himself enjoying the time that they spent together, no offense to Garroth, but he could get stuffy at times, it was nice to have someone else laidback around, it balanced things out.

“I don’t exactly keep count, I’m not that type of person.” Laurance glanced at Garroth as he spoke, ever since Dante asked his question, he had felt the other guard giving Laurance his signature side-eyed disapproving stare. Their eyes met, well, as much as they could with Garroth’s face covered, but it seemed to do the trick because Garroth stiffened and looked away, whether it was from embarrassment or shame Laurance couldn’t tell.

“But I have been with quite a few nighttime companions.” Laurance turned back to Dante as he spoke, an almost bored tone in his voice, as though he was announcing something as simple as the time of day. He once again felt Garroth’s eyes burning holes into his skin but opted to ignore it rather than pay him any mind.

Dante shook his head, the awe on his face growing. “I don’t know how you do it man, you gotta tell me your secret!” He said enthusiastically, eyes glowing and smile bright. Garroth sighed and shook his head like that of a disapproving mother, it seemed that he had given up on returning the conversation to a more tame one.

“Well for one, you need to have a certain amount of charm. You need to know what to say, but how to say it subtly, the last thing people want is someone who is going to make crude remarks.” Laurance spoke, to the untrained eye, it would seem he was genuinely giving Dante advice, but there was a certain tone in his voice that had Garroth turning back to the discussion. 

Dante nodded along with what Laurance was saying, seeming to commit it to memory, as though Laurance was giving him very important instructions, and in Dante’s mind, he might as well have been.

“Next, you’ll want to be pleasant, hold a conversation with them, get to know them, show interest in who they are before trying to escalate it. And if you don’t want to know about them, find someone who feels the same, make it clear what you want. Whether that be a partner for a day or for a year, make sure you both understand what you want.” Laurance’s tone shifted even more, pulling both Dante and Garroth’s attention to him, but for completely different reasons. His eyes shone with mischief and Garroth would be lying if he said he wasn’t at least curious as to where this was going. 

“And most importantly, you  _ really _ need to listen to this one ok?” Laurance’s face turned serious, although Garroth could see the corners of his mouth twitching with restrained laughter, although Dante seemed so far gone that he didn’t notice, nodding along blindly to Laurance’s words.

“You need to be good looking.” A huge smirk broke out across Laurance’s face as his joke came to its climax, his face showing that he was positively giddy at the fact that Dante had fallen so hard for it. Garroth let out a small snicker at Laurance’s words before stifling it, only to let out another after glancing at Dante. Speaking of which, Dante’s face was priceless, all of his excitement had crumpled once he processed Laurance’s words, and he let out a sudden “Hey!” that had Laurance holding his stomach due to laughter and Garroth’s resolve slowly crumbling.

Dante’s face split into a smirk of his own as he seemed to come up with a response he was happy with. “Oh yeah? Well, maybe we should start calling you Whoreance.” 

Garroth was expecting Laurance to respond by throwing another lighthearted insult Dante’s way, and Dante responding in turn until the remarks got so ridiculous that they had to stop due to laughter. He wasn’t however, expecting Laurance to suddenly stop laughing and stand up so fast that his chair almost fell over, and judging by the look of shock on Dante’s face, he wasn’t either.

“Maybe we should take to calling  _ you _ jackass.” Laurance’s words were biting, they were meant to sting, and they seemed to have the desired effect judging by the minor hurt on Dante’s face. His eyes were stormy as he spoke, his expression dark and clouded with fury, but Garroth caught a flicker of pain in his eyes before he stormed out of the guard tower.

“I...was not expecting that. What just happened?” Dante’s words were full of confusion and worry, his features covered with a thick layer of guilt as he tried to piece together what it was that made Laurance suddenly snap. Garroth shook his head, his emotions mirroring Dante’s. “I’m not sure, stay here, I’ll talk to him.” 

Garroth made his way outside, following after his brother in arms. He wasn’t sure what he would say when he got there, or how Laurance would react, but he knew he needed to say something, no matter the consequences. He was aware Laurance had been more sensitive emotionally since returning from the Nether, so he prayed to Irene that even if he was upset, Laurance would listen to what he had to say. It didn’t take him long to find the brunette, as he was standing right outside the guard tower, a troubled look on his face. 

“Laurance?” Garroth spoke his name softly, but it did the trick, seeing as his friend’s head suddenly snapped upwards with a soft noise of affirmation as he was broken from his thoughts, his eyes widening in surprise before relaxing as they fell upon Garroth. “Are you alright?” Garroth continued with the gentle tone, not wishing to startle the troubled guard.

Laurance nodded his head slowly, his eyes roaming the scenery as he pieced together an excuse that would satisfy his inquisitive friend. “Yeah, I...shouldn’t have snapped like that, I’m sorry.” His tone took a guilty turn as he spoke, his one arm coming around to rub the other in a bashful manner as he hid his gaze from Garroth.

Laurance chuckled dryly, the sound making Garroth’s heart twist painfully in his chest. “I suppose I have a way to go before I can fully control my outbursts.” He said rather bitterly, as though he was accepting a painful truth like that of a lost relative or friend, and Garroth supposed he was. He couldn’t imagine the mental pain Laurance was in, knowing that he was cursed to be a Shadow Knight, the fact that he didn’t have a choice in the matter, that it happened and he was just supposed to accept it. The mere thought made Garroth shiver.

“If you don’t mind me asking…” Garroth found himself saying before he could stop it, the words flowing from his mouth before he could process what he was asking. “Why  _ did _ you react in that manner?” His curiosity had gotten the better of him, and once he saw the rather shocked look his words caused, he felt a wave of guilt hit him. He usually had rather good control of his tongue, but around Laurance he often found himself asking questions or saying things he wouldn’t normally dream of, leading to rather embarrassing or personal conversations. 

Before he could apologize for his actions however, Laurance was already answering his question. “Because I’m a new Shadow Knight that can’t control his anger?” His response started out rather confident, but it grew into a question the longer he spoke, as though he was making it up as he went along. 

Garroth’s expression shifted to one of suspicion at Laurance’s words, the head guard seeming to try and pick him apart with his eyes, making Laurance shift uncomfortably and glance around, refusing to meet the blond’s gaze.

“Laurance,” Garroth’s tone was stern but caring, demanding the other’s attention, but showing that he was not upset with him. “That was more than a simple outburst due to your amplified emotions,” Garroth’s words were confident, showing that he couldn’t be swayed and firmly believed what he was saying. “That was from deep-set emotional pain.” His voice took a softer, sorrowful tone as he finished speaking, as though he was fully realizing what he was implying.

Laurance’s features shifted in alarm, his eyes wide as though Garroth had pieced together a dark secret he had been hiding his whole life, and in all honesty, he might have, and that only furthered his worry. Laurance looked like he was about to object, his shoulders tight in defense as he opened his mouth to respond, most likely to tell Garroth to just drop it, but he suddenly stopped, mouth open and muscles taut, before letting out a heavy sigh and letting his body go lax as his eyelids fluttered shut.

A few moments of silence passed, Garroth calming watching his friend as he breathed slowly, before his eyes opened, looking far more tired than they did when he shut them. “We, we should go somewhere private.” Laurance said, his words were soft and mirrored the exhaustion that his eyes held. “Follow me.” He said as he gently walked past Garroth, motioning him forward. 

* * *

It wasn’t long before the pair came to a clearing, a quiet little pond on the outskirts of the village. It was a rather nice afternoon, the sun was shining from behind the clouds, and the only sound was the gentle songs of the birds and the calm water hitting the bank of the pond, giving the scene a very serene feeling.

Laurance stopped walking as he came to the bank, sitting himself down with another sigh, letting his eyes wander across the water and soaking in the calm atmosphere. Once he noticed the other guard had stayed behind, he let a gentle smile break out across his face as he patted the ground next to him. 

Garroth slowly walked over to him, looking down at his friend before lowering himself down next to Laurance. The brunette’s smile grew as his brother in arms sat next to him, and he let out a content sigh before turning back to the beautiful sight before him. Garroth glanced out across the clearing, letting the reflection of the sky in the calm water wash his troubles away, allowing him the relaxation he wasn’t aware he needed.

A few moments passed in comfortable silence before Laurance turned towards his friend, a troubled look washing over his features as he spoke. “Um, Garroth,” Laurance fidgeted as he tried to ask his question in such a way that wouldn’t scare off the other guard. “I know this is asking a lot of you, and you don’t have to but…” The fidgeting only grew worse the longer he spoke, guilt evident on his face as he refused to meet Garroth’s eyes. “Would you mind taking your helmet off?” He hesitantly locked eyes with Garroth as he finished speaking, guilt radiating from him.

Garroth was shocked by the sudden question, but before he could respond Laurance was already rambling again, rushed words making the anxiety in his voice clear. “I mean, I’ve known you for so long that I don’t need to see your face to know your emotions but,” Before the brunette could continue the rushed dismissal of his previous comment, an audible scoff was heard from the helmeted individual, sufficiently cutting him off.

“That’s not true.” Garroth stated, his arms crossing over his chest as he spoke. “There is no possible way you can tell what expression I’m making if you can’t even see my eyes, much less the rest of my face.” His voice was wildly unimpressed, as though he was having to explain something extremely simple to a small child for the umpteenth time.

Laurance shook his head at his friend, a knowing smile on his face. “I assure you it is, I’ve known you for years Garroth,” He raised his eyes to meet the blond’s, a mischievous glint in them as he spoke. “I think I know you rather well by now.”

Garroth scoffed once again, letting out an incredulous “Please.” before turning his head to the side, and if Laurance was correct, which of course he was because he really does know his best friend thank you very much, rolled his eyes due to the sheer idiocy of Laurance’s words. He slowly turned back to his fellow guard, a plan forming in his mind, he knew Laurance couldn’t turn down a challenge, so all he needed to do was say a few words and then watch as his friend proved himself wrong. “If that’s the case, then tell me, Laurance,” Garroth was already giddy as he put his plan into effect, and it showed, his posture taking on a more arrogant tone. “What does my face look like right now?” He asked, his words cocky as he was sure he would win this small argument. 

Laurance’s face broke into a smirk at Garroth’s challenge as he stood just the tiniest bit straighter, raising his head slightly as a show of confidence. “That’s simple,” He stated calmly, shrugging his shoulders as he gently closed his eyes in mock relaxation. “You’re raising your eyebrows in triumph and you have that tiny smirk on your face.”

Garroth’s body stiffened in response to Laurance’s words, his expression shifting as he processed what the brunette had said. It didn’t make any sense, no matter how many times Garroth ran it through his brain, he couldn’t understand just how Laurance had figured out the expression he was making. There was no way he could see the other guard’s face, so the only explanation was that he knew from memory, and he had only seen Garroth’s face a handful of times, yet he knew the looks the blond was capable of. That meant Laurance had to have committed the expressions to memory, burning them into his brain until he could see them in his mind. In light of this knowledge, Garroth felt his face warming significantly, heat rising up to the tips of his ears as he struggled to find his words.

He heard a stifled giggle and looked over to see Laurance holding a hand to his mouth as he stared at the blond, eyes shining and lips curved into a gleeful smile. He composed himself as much as he could before clearing his voice. “And now you’re blushing up to your ears and your eyes are bulging from your skull.” His voice wavered as he finished his statement, hand quickly returning to his mouth to quiet the sounds trying to escape.

Garroth felt his whole face being quickly consumed by the heat as he let out a rather embarrassed “S-shut up!”, which Laurance’s only response to was finally letting his hand drop as he started laughing rather loudly, causing him to double over after a few moments due to rapid loss of air making him cough.

Laurance slowly righted himself, a soft smile gracing his lips as he looked to his friend once again. “It’s just,” His tone was quiet and gentle, as though if he spoke too loud, the world around them would shatter, and the pleasant moment they found themselves in would fade. “I feel like I can think when I see your eyes,” His words were still soft, but there was an underlying tone that Garroth couldn’t quite place, it was akin to embarrassment, but it wasn’t quite self-deprecating enough to be called that.“Like nothing else matters at that moment, and I can stare into them for hours.” Laurance’s voice became quieter as he spoke, turning into little more than a hushed whisper when he was done.

Garroth felt his heart twist in his chest as his stomach decided to start doing flips, leaving him breathless and slightly lightheaded. He quickly found his voice, saying the first thing that popped into his head and praying to Irene it didn’t ruin the calm moment they found themselves in. “I thought you brought me here to talk, not to flirt.” His voice sounded slightly rougher and his tone was more suggestive than he intended, but it didn’t seem to bother Laurance, at least not in a negative way, but the brunette’s cheeks suddenly burned bright red, mirroring Garroth’s previous expression as he stammered, struggling to find his voice.

“I-I wasn’t, I mean, that’s not what I,” Laurance’s blush kept growing as he tried to give a hasty explanation for his previous statement, stumbling over his words and only growing more embarrassed as he went on, eyes darting around as he refused to meet the other’s gaze. He took a steadying breath, closing his eyes before opening them and staring determinedly into Garroth’s, or rather, where he guessed his eyes were, before speaking. “That’s not what I meant.” He stated calmly, as the blush started slowly receding.

Garroth had to quiet a chuckle, it was a pleasant change of pace having Laurance the blushing mess for once, and Garroth had to remind himself to be mindful of his friend’s feelings, even though it really was funny. “Of course not.” Garroth said as he removed his helmet, he decided not to tease the already frazzled guard, he didn’t want it turning into a genuine fight, and besides, they had come here with an important discussion in mind, they had stalled enough as it was.

Laurance’s face fell as he realized that they had finally come to this, the conversation he initiated but was dreading from the moment Garroth had stepped foot out of the guard tower. He let out a heavy exhale, begrudgingly coming to terms with the fact that neither party would be leaving the area until he explained himself. He mentally prepared himself for one of the most agonizing conversations he would have in his life. 

“I’m sure you’re aware of how Cadenza and I grew up,” Laurance’s voice was hushed and troubled, Garroth could tell he hated the discussion already and was sure it would only get worse as time went on. He felt a pang of guilt for asking Laurance to retell painful memories, but at the same time, he couldn’t be certain that he could protect the distressed guard from his own mind if he didn’t know the signs.

“We didn’t have much, and what we did have we had to jump through hoops to get.” Laurance’s form shook and his voice wavered, Garroth was tempted to call off the conversation until Laurance took a steadying breath, resolve settling in his eyes, making them glow so intensely that it had the blond holding back a gasp of surprise. 

“I did some things I’m,” The resolved slowly crumbled, showing a very fragile and emotionally drained individual that was struggling to hold himself together as he was falling apart at the seams with no escape, running in circles as he tried and failed to pull himself out of the depths of his mind. “Less than proud of.” His shoulders slumped, and for some reason, he refused to meet the other guard’s eyes.

“One year, a horrible Winter plagued Meteli, the village was so low on food that they barely had enough to feed everyone,” His face pulled into a grimace as he recalled the memory, the thoughts leaving a bad taste in his mouth. “Much less give it out to orphans.” His features turned slightly guilty, as though he felt partially responsible, like he was a liability, even though he couldn’t have possibly done anything to help in that situation. 

“Cadenza and I were going to starve if I didn’t do something, and no one could afford to hire at the time,” Laurance’s words sped up as he spoke, becoming almost defensive in nature, trying to convince himself that his actions were justified, that he didn’t have a choice in the matter. “So I had to turn to more,” His face contorted in discomfort as he struggled to find the words to convey his thoughts. “Scandalous ways to make money.” Laurance shook his head at his own words as though they had made him sick to say.

Garroth was speechless, of all the things he had envisioned this conversation would hold, that hadn’t even crossed his mind. His features betrayed his thoughts, conveying his shock and horror. He never imagined Laurance would have gone through that, he was so casual about things of that nature, Garroth found himself wondering what else Laurance was hiding from them, his thoughts leading him down a very dark path that had his stomach tying into knots and his heart leaping into his throat.

“If it was just me, I most likely would have found another way, but…” The sound of Laurance’s voice shook the blond from his ghastly thoughts, pulling him back to the present, which at the moment wasn’t that different. “I couldn’t let anything happen to her.” Laurance’s words were remorseful, but as he locked eyes with Garroth, he could see the unwavering determination in them, showing that no matter how much he regretted his previous actions, he didn’t regret why he did so.

The determination slowly faded as Laurance’s mind seemed to catch up with his words, leaving dismay and disgust in its wake and no sooner had the expression crossed the brunette’s face than Garroth realized he never wanted to see it there again. “I understand if you think different of me now.” Laurance’s tone was bitter but conceding, as though he had already accepted the fact that Garroth would consider less of him despite the guard never expressing such thoughts. 

“What?” Came the mildly offended reply. Garroth couldn’t fathom where Laurance got the idea in his head that the blond would judge him, he never had before, well, not for something out of his control, and he intended to make a rather clear point that he did  _ not _ , in fact, think that. “Laurance, you’re still the amazing person I know, that I am proud to call my brother,” Garroth’s voice was stern but caring, just forcible enough to get through to the other, but not so much as to make him feel threatened. “Nothing will change that.” Garroth’s tone grew soft, barely a whisper in the air around them, but it had Laurance’s eyes snapping to his with such a vulnerable yet hopeful look that Garroth had to force down the heat rising to his cheeks. 

“I can’t imagine living like that.” Garroth quickly decided to fill the silence, if it carried on, he couldn’t be certain he could keep the blush hidden, but his words were true, he had never once given that situation thought, he had never needed to. He wasn’t one to randomly think of things to offset himself, that was more of Zane’s forte thank you, and he never needed to consider it for survival purposes, it was one of the many privileges of being a prince. He once again found himself feeling uncontrollably guilty for having such an easy life and throwing it all away, but that was a story for a different time, he was here for Laurance.

The aforementioned brunette let out a rather dry chuckle, but it still held an undertone of humor, so Garroth supposed the situation was improving, just slightly, but improving nonetheless. “It wasn’t pleasant I can tell you that much.” He stated rather matter of factly, and Garroth believed him wholeheartedly. “Some of the clients I had were,” Laurance paused, face contorting as he struggled to explain properly. “Troublesome.” He finally settled on a vague description that left Garroth concerned yet intrigued, the blond’s mind wandering from mildly unpleasant scenarios to horrifying ones before he decided it was best not to think about it.

“I was never forced into anything mind you,” Laurance interjected, and Garroth felt his shoulders relaxing, unaware he had even tensed them, he surmised that the other guard had seen his expression and decided to quell his worry. “But some of them were, rather chatty.” Laurance’s face pulled into a grimace as he spoke, shuddering slightly as he recalled things he had been told in the past. “It why I hate that word,” Laurance finally admitted his reason for storming off, the reason they came here in the first place, why they brought up painful memories, it had come full circle. “I hadn’t thought of that time in years, but as soon as Dante said it I just,” The brunette hesitated, trying to put years of repressed emotion into words. “All those feelings and memories came rushing back.” His voice was quiet, and Garroth felt as if he merely  _ breathed _ it would shatter the fragile moment they found themselves in. “The disgust, the self-loathing, it hit me full force.” Laurance’s voice was nothing more than a choked whisper, twisting Garroth’s heart as he spoke.

He shook his head, light brown locks falling into his face before he gently pushed them aside. “I suppose that’s why I’m so casually intimate with people now, it’s like the actions have lost all meaning.” Laurance’s voice was calm, humorous even, but Garroth could hear the underlying hurt in his words, the fact that even though he appeared to be unbothered by his realization, it still affected him greatly.

Garroth found himself once again speaking without thought, letting his emotions run free. “I’m sure you’ll find someone, someday, who makes it feel as magical as you first dreamed.” His tone was soft, bordering on sultry, but at the moment, Garroth found for some odd reason he didn’t seem to care, maybe it was the calm air around them, or maybe it was because all he was thinking of was the perturbed man in front of him, but it seemed to do the trick. Laurance’s bright blue eyes rose to meet the ones across from him, a slight pink tint to his cheeks that had him turning away with a slight chuckle. “I hope.” He said, still avoiding eye contact with the blond.

“Laurance,” Garroth voice turned serious, demanding attention, causing Laurance to turn toward him with a look of surprise. “That’s a promise.” His words held confidence, and he was honestly wondering where it had come from, but it had Laurance’s eyes softening and a gentle smile gracing his lips so Garroth decided it really didn’t matter.

Laurance’s expression sobered, a mildly nervous one taking its place, and Garroth found himself slightly mourning the disappearance of his smile. “Umm, Garroth, I don’t really feel the need to ask this of you but,” He started to fidget with his hair, twirling it around his finger and tugging at it slightly, to anyone else it may seem like he was bored, but Garroth knew this was one of his nervous ticks, and it had him anxious of what he would say next. “Can we keep this between us?” The brunette asked, voice hopeful that Garroth would honor his request. “I haven’t told anyone this, not even Cadenza.” Laurance rubbed the nape of his neck guiltily, the confession adding weight to his shoulders, making them sag. “She merely thinks I did odd jobs here and there, she would never forgive herself if she knew the truth.” His statement held truth to it, one that Garroth begrudgingly acknowledged. Both parties knew what would happen if someone like Aphmau found out, she would want to inform Cadenza, and if by some Irene damned happenstance she found out, let’s just say it can’t happen and leave it at that.

Garroth nodded his head in affirmation. “Of course.” His tone was soft and calming, giving Laurance the security he needed and calming him down in the process, the soft smile he held beforehand returning brightly, making his eyes shine causing Garroth’s cheeks to once again heat, warmth rising to them rapidly as a smile of his own broke out across his face. They stared at each other for a rather long time, a comfortable silence enveloping them, eyes shining and hearts soaring before it was broken by a quiet chuckle from Laurance. Garroth looked at him in bewilderment, causing the brunette to wave his hand dismissively before speaking.

“Sorry, it’s just,” He said, voice light and slightly giggly, his words full of lighthearted humor that had an easy smile spreading across Garroth’s face again. Laurance composed himself, his voice taking on a slightly alluring tone. “I meant what I said about your eyes,” His voice went deeper, eyes taking on a mischievous glint as a smirk slowly appeared. “I really believe I could stare into them for hours.” He said, a softer look covering the sultry one he held only moments ago. It didn’t have the desired effect though, as the blond’s face fell with his words, a dark expression clouding his features as he slowly turned from Laurance. The brunette cocked his head in puzzlement, worry written across his face at Garroth’s sudden coldness.

“In all honesty, I don’t care for them.” The blond said, eyes locked onto the ground as he spoke, tone remorseful and bitter. “They look exactly like my Father’s.” The bitterness in his voice grew, his shoulders tensing and showing his resentment as his bright ocean eyes growing cloudy with anger. Laurance’s face twisted with horror, his stomach churning in agitation at Garroth’s words. How the blond thought that was beyond him, he couldn’t fathom how Garroth could hate the very eyes that had seemed to be the answer to the brunette’s prayers, but he did, and Laurance’s needed to fix that,  _ now _ .

He was suddenly in front of the head guard, a rather surprised look on said guard’s face, ocean eyes staring into sky blue ones, arms gripping his shoulders tightly, the brunette letting his emotions guide his judgment as he spoke from the heart, unabashed and true. “Garroth, you are not your Father, those eyes are  _ yours _ , not his.” His voice was confident, showing he fully believed the words falling from his lips, and it caused the shock on the blond’s face to grow. “Your eyes hold kindness, courage, joy, and strength.” Laurance’s words were very matter of fact, and his tone made it clear he would not be swayed. “They have also held anger, sadness, and pain.” His voice fell slightly, growing remorseful as he spoke, eyes dimming for only a moment before the fire suddenly sparked in them again. 

“But they belong to you and you alone.”

At some point, Laurance’s hands had raised of their own accord, gently cupping Garroth’s cheeks, keeping the blond’s eyes on him, but Laurance couldn’t find it within himself to care. He had a mission to complete, he needed to make Garroth understand that he spoke the truth, and he feared if he didn’t now, he never would. “You are an amazing friend and an outstanding guard,” Laurance’s voice grew quieter as he spoke, a soft tone had taken over, seeming to give the moment even greater importance. “Please, never forget that.” His voice wavered as he finished speaking, he hadn’t realized his eyes were watering slightly until he felt a mild burn in his sinuses.

Garroth’s eyes were glassy with unshed tears and a blinding smile shone on his face, causing Laurance’s breath to hitch with the intensity of it. Garroth attempted to speak, but it came out as nothing more than a croak, causing him to clear his throat before he was able to get his message across. “I, thank you Laurance.” His words were still watery, but the guard was able to understand them well enough, smiling in response.

A comfortable silence enveloped them once again, Garroth composing himself with a few sighs before mirroring Laurance’s smile, and both parties were perfectly content to stay like that for hours. As the glow slowly faded and returned them to the real world, Garroth’s face suddenly turned bright red, eyes bulging from his skull and a rather embarrassed look covering his features. Laurance considered him strangely, bewilderment written across his face before he felt heat rapidly rising to his own cheeks, coating them a nice shade of crimson. The pair had grown quite close as they spoke, and Laurance hadn’t even realized his one hand had fallen to Garroth’s shoulder while he was talking, putting them in a rather compromising position. One hand cupping the blond’s cheek while the other rested on his shoulder, and he swore he felt Garroth’s hands on his hips, from an outsider's perspective, it would look like they were about to kiss, and they were both suddenly aware of that fact.

They pulled away promptly, cheeks ablaze and hearts thumping out of their chests. An awkward silence fell upon them, neither one wishing to break it for fear of making it worse, a few coughs here and there, the shuffling of feet, the sound of armor being adjusted despite the fact it was perfectly fine before the blond finally took the initiative and broke it. “We, we should probably head back to the guard tower.” He stammered, tripping over his words but getting the message out nonetheless.

“Right! Of course,” The brunette latched onto the distraction gratefully, eager to ground his mind as it had started to wander to, less than justifiable thoughts. He rubbed the back of his neck gently, glancing towards the blond before looking away again. “Umm, after you.” He said hurriedly, refusing to meet Garroth’s eyes as he gestured forward.

“No no, after you.” The head guard said swiftly but gently, pulling his helmet on as he hoped Laurance understood the reason he couldn’t lead them back to town without him having to explain. It earned him a puzzled look, but the brunette got the message without too much trouble, realization flickering in his eyes, causing his cheeks to burn brighter.

“Right, I’m the one who brought us here,” Laurance’s whole face was consumed with red, a testament to his flustered state. “Follow me.” He said, cheeks burning and eyes wide, and although he would never admit it, voice slightly squeaky as well. He made sure the blond was in a state to follow him before he led them back to the guard tower, neither attempting to make conversation. It was a rather long walk, and that was brought to light as they both willed themselves to be back already, so they could go their separate ways and pretend the last few moments of their encounter didn't happen, but alas, they were forced to endure the agonizing trip back.

Once they found themselves back at Phoenix Drop, most of the tension had ebbed away, leaving a more calming silence in its wake. They made their way to the guard tower, where Laurance was promptly tackled and nearly knocked to the ground by a very apologetic and very confused bluenette. 

“I’m so sorry for whatever I said that upset you, Laurance! I promise I’ll try not to do so in the future! Can you forgive me?” The youngest guard half-mumbled half-shouted into Laurance’s chest, burying his face as he spoke. Laurance shared a rather bewildered look with Garroth before placing his hand on Dante’s head, gently making their eyes meet.

“It’s perfectly fine Dante, I’m not angry with you.” He said softly, hoping to quell the bluenette’s worry. “I actually wanted to apologize to you.” Laurance’s voice held guilt, and he hesitantly met Dante’s eyes as he spoke, a very confused look covering the latter’s features as Laurance spoke. “I didn’t mean to snap at you like that, I’m sorry.” His words were sincere, and he offered a small smile in hopes of forgiveness.

Dante rubbed at the nape of his neck, glancing away from Laurance as he spoke. “And I’m sorry for what I said that made you snap like that.” A lopsided grin appeared on his face as he finished speaking, sparking a questioning look from the brunette. “Let’s just say we both screwed up and leave it at that?” He started with a statement, but near the end, it turned into a question, prompting Laurance to either accept or decline his offer.

Laurance let a grin of his own break out across his face as he spoke. “That works for me.” He shrugged his shoulders casually, causing the bluenette’s smile to grow. A devious look appeared, covering his features rapidly, causing Laurance’s face to contort in confusion yet again, wondering what the younger could be planning this time. 

“You wanna go annoy Garroth again?” Dante asked, eyes twinkling with mischief as his smile grew. Laurance’s mouth pulled upward into a smirk at his proposal, his own eyes taking on a glow of their own. 

“Oh, you know it.” The brunette replied enthusiastically. And with that, they headed inside to see just how far they could push the blond. The answer was, in the words of a very frazzled and surprised Laurance who just found out the roof of the guard tower had an amazing view and was apparently accessible. “Until you mess with his hair apparently.” 

Dante nodded, equally surprised not only with that fact but also the fact that Garroth could carry two fully grown men on his shoulders without breaking a sweat. “So,” He started, concern slowly making its way into his voice. “How long do you think it’ll be before he unlocks the door?” The bluenette asked, turning to Laurance for his option. To which the brunette merely shrugged, causing Dante to turn back and admire the view once again.

**Author's Note:**

> I mean, I warned ya. I know, this is a very uncomfortable subject, and I am not trying to make light of it in ANY way, shape, or form. It was merely an idea that popped into my head while chatting with my friend, and it became so detailed that I felt it would be a shame not to write it out. I hope you enjoyed, as always, kudos and comments are ALWAYS appreciated, it makes my day people. Speaking of days, I hope the rest of yours is awesome, until next time.


End file.
